Speed Graphics/Press Cameras In Movies: A Visual Guide

I’ve always held a suspicion that large format press cameras
such as the Graflex Speed Graphic are the most widely used prop
cameras in cinema. Doing the research for my Photography in Movies and Television
series of posts certainly helped me keep that belief. Attempting to
create a list of every sighting would be a massive task, but who
says I can’t try?

This list will most likely never be complete, and currently
isn’t very big or even near complete, but I’ll keep adding the
sightings as I come across them. I already have a list of movies to
get screen shots from, but I can only have so many Netflix movies
out at once. Plus, instead of just fast forwarding through a lot of
these movies which I haven’t seen, I want to actually watch
them.

If you know of any other movies which aren’t listed here,
mention it in the comments. I’ll go hunting for video still and
give you credit when I post them. Meanwhile, let us get onto the
press cameras in movies.

Back to the Future: Part 2 (1989)

There is a very quick glimpse of a flash pan taking a photo of
Biff. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Very early in Creature from the Black Lagoon a doctor
runs out of his tent with a Speed Graphic to photograph their
latest discovery. I’m not quite sure about how the man is framing
his scene. He appears to look into the back of the flash pan when
he makes his exposure. In a more authentic depiction of how a Speed
Graphic is actually used, it is visually obvious that he forgets to
flip the dark slide after exposure.

Flags of Our Fathers (2006)

Considering that the plot of Flags of Our Fathers
resolves around the people involved in what is probably the most
famous photo to ever be taken with a Speed Graphic, you would
expect there to be a lot of press cameras in this film. Don’t
worry, there is.

Futurama (2001)

Wait? Isn’t Futurama a cartoon? Yes! But that doesn’t stop a
press camera from making an appearance in the episode Roswell That Ends
Well.

Anthony Billings July 27, 2011, 11:26 AM

It isn’t a movie, but have you ever seen the old Charles Bronson TV show “Man With A Camera?” He often used a press camera. He switched between a press camera and a 35mm rangefinder depending on the situation. They seem to get everything down pretty well. Bronson adjusts aperture and shutter speed before every shot. He sets up a bulb flash unit for the rangefinder. Even the occasional darkroom scenes appear properly done. The entire run of the show is available free on Hulu. It isn’t exactly the height of television art, but it could be viewed as an interesting history lesson for some budding photographers out there.

George April 26, 2011, 6:13 PM

I’m usually amused by the press cameras in movies.
So many ‘prop masters’ seem to think that the bellows must be fully extended.
Not so! Most normal lenses would reach only about half-way along the front extension.

Great article! Sometimes I hunt for cameras whenever I watch a movie too, especially if it’s a period movie or a classic. (And isn’t that a post-war Speed Graphic in A League Of Their Own?).
I recently saw The Great Muppet Caper for the first time in ages and Gonzo carries what appears to be a miniature Speed Graphic, and it takes quite a beating! Understandably, he never seems to change his film or flashbulbs.